Communities secretary Michael Gove has been accused of ‘treading on the Department for Transport’s toes’ after he wrote directly to councils about the use of cash in car parks.
In a letter sent to every local authority in England, Mr Gove said he was concerned about the elderly and vulnerable being excluded if traditional 'Pay and Display' machines that use cash were scrapped, adding that it would not be appropriate for high street parking to be 'solely available for those who have access to a mobile phone'.
Ipswich February 2023
He wrote: 'Cash remains legal tender and it will continue to be used in our daily lives by people who favour its accessibility and ease.
'I am therefore concerned that local authorities should ensure that there are alternative provisions for parking payments available so that no part of society is digitally excluded.’
In response, a senior council official questioned whether Mr Gove was legally entitled to tell councils how to discharge their functions under part 4 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
The officer accused Michael Gove of ‘treading on the Department for Transport’s toes’ and ‘preaching at councils’ after the Levelling Up secretary told councils they must not force drivers to use smartphones to pay for parking spaces.
The official also pointed out that Mr Gove’s letter has no status as a direction or statutory guidance to authorities: 'It is not clear why Michael Gove is treading on the Department for Transport’s toes when that Department is responsible for legislation on parking on street and off street car parks.
'This Government doesn’t seem to have entered the 21st century, where the overwhelming majority of people have contactless cards or web-enabled phones.
‘Before Mr Gove starts preaching at councils, he needs to make sure that Government departments and quangos haven’t already implemented modern, efficient payment methods and removed the option to pay by cash.’
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